Federal cabinet, we are reliably informed, is about to approve and present to Parliament “a tough public interest test for media ownership” which, apparently, will be applied to future media mergers and acquisitions.
Presumably this is intended to quash questionable characters who want to impose their unsavoury views on media they own, or want to own. Or on recalcitrant would-be media barons who won’t sign a charter of editorial independence crafted by well-meaning journalists who take editorial responsibility for what they write, but no responsibility for the commercial outcome of what they produce. Or media investors who have the temerity to discuss editorial matters in the company boardroom (like — dare we admit it — we do here at Crikey).
The mindless paranoia hovering over the current federal government about the state of the media is not just hollow and thoughtless, it also attacks the responsibility governments have for protecting democracy.
There are countries where governments regulate the “public interest” of media ownership. They are called Russia and China.
“Public interest” of media ownership. They are called Russia and China; as opposed to a self serving right wing biased media in this country beholden to their respective owners political leanings. Thats why the media is doing it tough in Australia. Increasingly, people are not buying the cr*p one sided journalism product. Who insulted Steve Lewis by calling him a journalist?
So let’s have no regulation, an effective duopoly of print media by plutocrats with an agenda and a rabid pack of unencumbered journalists given free reign to write crap, collude with disaffected staffers to try and bring down democratically elected governments and whatever else their masters command.
Fabulous result.
I agree with BILL HILLIGER and LLOYDOIS. This editorial is sloppy, again. It posits a simplistic and false choice between totalitarian regulation and a democratic free market.
So what? There is no difference between Russia, China, WW2 germany and the lack of choice we have at the moment. Big Brother is here. The Ministry for misinformation is in full flight; and you mob want it to stay that way? YMBFJ? It is no democracy when the great unwashed dont have a choice, cant complain and get a response, and the rubbish that we are complaining about are given the OK by you mob to be racist, sexist and inflammatory with impunity. Which Democracy are you talking about?
now you are just being silly – it legitimate for government to regulate the media especially if the forces of darkness are about – people want balance and fairness they are not going to get it but at least some regulation can assist.